There exists a need for diapers having a disposable absorbent assembly which can be effectively and inexpensively positioned by a simple reusable belt to hold the absorbent in place on the body, without the necessity for fastening elements manufactured on the absorbent assembly which add cost to the disposable absorbent assembly of the diapering system.
Multi-component diapering systems, i.e., diapers having disposable and reusable components, are well known in the art and are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,736 to Boland, et al. Certain of these prior art diaper constructions have sought to provide waste containment with a reusable holder for retaining the absorbent structure, for example:
1) U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,064 to Pociluyko;
2) U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,590 to Hokanson, et al.;
3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,128 to Motomura;
4) U.S. Pat. No. 2,141,105 to Eller;
5) U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,646 to Daniels, et al.;
6) U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,761 to Buell;
7) U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,360 to Joffe, et al.; and
8) U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,760 to Buell.
Generally, the above-listed prior diaper constructions employ fastening elements that are integral with, i.e. nonseparable from the holder.
Unitary, i.e., one-piece constructions typically include an assembly of a liquid-impervious back sheet, a liquid-pervious liner and an absorbent core sandwiched between the liner and back sheet. The assembly defines either a modified hourglass shape, an I-shape, a rectangular shape or a T-shape and is secured about the wearer by means of adhesive tapes, hook-and-pile fasteners or the like. The entire diaper is disposable. In other words, the absorbent structure is not separable from other components of the diaper. Examples of such unitary constructions are discussed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,736, and are also disclosed in:
1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,245 to Mesek, et al.;
2) U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,874 to Hrubecky; and
3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,462 to Woon, et al.
Disposable diapers of the unitary type are flat or contoured, open-sided garments that are intended to be fit around an infant by a parent while the infant is lying down. The rear panel of the diaper is placed underneath the infant, and the front panel drawn between the infant's legs, after which the rear sides or "ears" are overlapped across the front panel and held together by the securement means described above.
Another approach taken by prior art diapers has been to utilize belts with absorbent structures in various combinations, for example: 1) British Patent No. 2,165,457; 2) French Patent No. 2,566,631; and 3) European Patent Application No. 0,287,388. The British '457 patent shows a disposable incontinence garment having an hourglass shape with a pair of flexible waistbands and a pair of elastic leg bands. A flexible tape is threaded through slits in the absorbent structure and secured together with hook-and-loop fasteners--neither the waistbands nor the tape of this diaper are elasticized. The French '631 patent discloses a unitary disposable elastic-legged diaper having an elasticized belt which is integral with, i.e., nonremovable from the rear waistband. Slits are formed in the front of the absorbent through which the free ends of the belt are threaded. The belt is not reusable. Similarly, the European '388 patent publication discloses a disposable absorbent garment with a pair of straps formed from the longitudinal margins of the garment, each strap having one end fixed to an end of the garment and another end which is attached to the front of the diaper.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,315,508 to Bolick and 4,617,022 to Pigneul, et al. both disclose multiple use garment suspension systems. The Bolick patent shows a pair of elastic suspension belts fastenable at their ends to corners of an absorbent structure. The Pigneul patent shows a single belt fastenable at its ends to the outer surfaces of the rear ears by means of hook-and-pile tapes. The singular belt extends across and engages a grip on the outer surface of the front of the diaper.
Other prior art constructions are depicted in U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 121,647; 132,937; 290,780; and 306,209.